1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a spooling apparatus.
2. Related Prior Art
Taiwanese Patent Publication No. 392686 teaches a conventional spooling device. The conventional spooling device includes a housing, a shaft installed in the housing, a spool mounted on the shaft and a rope wound on the spool. The spool is mounted on the shaft so that it can be rotated from an original position by means of an external force and will be returned to the original position when it is released from the external force. The automatic winding of the rope back onto the spool is done via a coil spring. However, the speed of the rope when wound back onto the spool is quite high and the fast moving rope can cut a user.
The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art.
It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a spooling apparatus capable of controlling the speed of a rope.
According to the present invention, a spooling apparatus includes a housing, a spool received in the housing so that the spool can be rotated from an original position by an external force and automatically returned to the original position when released from the external force, a rope wound on the spool and a tension-controlling device received in the housing for controlling the tension of the rope in order to control the speed of the rope when wound back onto the spool.
The tension-controlling device includes a contacting element movably received in the housing for contact with the rope and a positioning element for controlling the position of the contacting element relative to the rope.
The positioning element is in rotational engagement with the contacting element.
The positioning element includes a bolt formed with a thread. The contacting element defines a tunnel including a wall formed with a thread in engagement with the thread formed on the bolt.
The positioning element includes a head with a non-circular profile. The housing includes a wall defining a circular space in which the head can rotate and a non-circular space in which the head cannot rotate. The circular space is in communication with the non-circular space. The non-circular profile may be a hexagonal profile and the non-circular space may be a hexagonal space.
The tension-controlling device includes a spring for biasing the head into the non-circular space. The spring is a compressive spring. The spring contacts the contacting element. The contacting element includes a first terminal portion, a second terminal portion and a slot defined therein between the first and second terminal portions. The housing includes a post extending from an internal face thereof into the slot. The spring is received in the slot and compressed between the post and the first terminal portion of the contacting element.
The spooling apparatus includes a braking device for slowing down the speed of the rope.
The braking device includes a button being movable between an idle position and an active position and including a first terminal portion for contact with a user""s finger and a second terminal portion for contact with the spool in the active position.
The braking device includes a brake shoe secured to the second terminal portion of the button.
The braking device includes a lock for locking the button in the active position.
The button includes a latch extending from a side of the button. The lock can be switched between a locking position and a releasing position and defines a recess so that the latch is allowed to slide in the recess in the releasing position and that the latch is prevented from sliding in the recess in the locking position.
The braking device includes a spring for biasing the button from the active position to the idle position. The spring is a compressive spring.